


heroes can cry

by Romwaeta



Series: The Emperor’s Flame [1]
Category: The Owl House
Genre: Angst, Broken Bones, Burns, F/F, Luz Noceda Angst, Sad Luz Noceda, amity saves the day, eda is a mom, it’s angsty folks, lilith has feelings, lowkey torture, luz noceda centric, luz wants to go home
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:41:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25364794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Romwaeta/pseuds/Romwaeta
Summary: Luz is tired, so when Eda says that she can go home from the stand early, she decides to take up on that and get some rest. But on her way home, she finds herself with the chance to possibly help Eda and her curse.Emperor Belos has other definitions of “help” it seems.
Relationships: Amity Blight/Luz Noceda
Series: The Emperor’s Flame [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1836817
Comments: 77
Kudos: 437





	1. heroes cry

The room was in pristine condition, sleek and shining bright floors, pillars and eruptions of flame pushed towards the far wall, and a gran throne at the center of it all. The emperor himself, standing broadly before his own throne, had his arms clasped tightly at the small of his back, a menacing golden mask hiding his true features from the second person in the room.

“Emperor Belos,” she breathed, resting a pale hand over her chest and dropping down to her knee. Her white cloak, accented with a cool array of blues pooled at the ground, her long locks of hair pristinely falling against her back. The man before her, although his face wasn’t visible, was still able to let her know that he meant business.

“Lilith,” Emperor Belos nodded, stepping towards the bowing woman. “I am certain that you are aware of the desperate need to find Eda the Owl Lady?” he mused, circling the woman as if she were his prey. She nodded, maintaining her stance as he returned to his throne.

“Yes, my emperor. I am very much aware of how dire the situation is,” she clarified her response, eyeing the monarch carefully. He audibly sighed, making a small show of fixing his brooch before those empty eyes landed back on her.

“Good. Then I assume you know of Eda’s… student?” his voice seemed cocky and arrogant. Lilith swallowed, standing to face the emperor at a more even height distance. Emperor Belos didn’t bother maintaining his posture, instead he looked at the coven leader almost lazily.

“Yes, I do, my emperor,” Lilith responded, unsure as to why the human girl had been brought into the conversation. The girl- as far as Lilith was aware- had not broken any of the Isles’ laws, and according to her protege, the girl was registered to begin academics at Hexside. 

“I would like to meet with the human, she will know of Eda’s whereabouts and other concepts that would aid me and the coven greatly,” Belos explained, tilting his head towards Lilith. “Are you capable of... collecting her for me?”

If she went through with this, not only would they have Eda, but a cure for her curse. On top of that, the human girl would most likely show interest in the coven, and although she may not be of absolute power, she had potential- Amity had informed her that the girl had been capable of doing a simple light spell, easy for a witch yet still impressive for a mere human.

“Of course, my emperor. I’ll bring her here as soon as I am able,” Lilith bent back down to her knee, bowing her head as the emperor hummed. She looked up, watching him wave his hand to dismiss her.

She wasn’t certain as to why she was having second thoughts. It was for the good of the coven- for the good of _Edalyn_. It would benefit others, and that was enough to push the crippling doubt to the depths of her stomach.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

“Eda!” Luz whined, leaning over the front table of the stand. The witch in question, was standing on said table and waving around a television remote and flaunting off the string lights hanging on her shoulders. Luz, being tired after a long night of attempting to perfect her new spell, decided to drop her attempts to receive the older woman’s attention, instead looking over the trinkets in front of her.

A beaded necklace, one that you’d typically find in a dollar store of sorts. A pack of party poppers- Luz had actually attempted to pocket these a few days ago, only for Eda to place them back onto the stand, referring to them as an ‘extra fun alarm clock’. Luz hadn’t bothered to explain their true purpose, after all- nobody could change the stubborn woman’s mind.

But Luz didn’t really care all that much. She was living out her dreams, becoming a witch! The young latina had already learned her second spell, and was hard at work deciphering the Boiling Isles’ runic alphabet- which was surprisingly much easier than Luz had anticipated. She was set to begin a proper education at Hexside School for Magic and Demonics in the upcoming semester, and _dios_ was she excited.

“Did you say something, kid?” Eda finally piqued, stepping down from the table once the group of possible customers had scurried off to their next location, leaving nobody but passerbyers at the Human Collectibles stand. Luz hummed, looking up from the necklace she had subconsciously begun to string through her fingers, shifting her attention towards the pale woman at her side.

“Oh! Not really, I was just going to ask if I could go home early, a bit tired and stuff,” the tanned girl chuckled. Eda shifted her gaze back to the market- golden eyes carefully checking out each visible person nearby, most likely to scope out possible customers, or searching for the Emperor’s guards. 

“Looks like a quiet day, so sure, kid. But next week you’re not getting off of house cleaning duty,” Eda deadpanned, letting out a sigh and shifting her gaze towards the back of the tent. Kin was curled up atop a chest, softly snoring as he rested. “You, get up. We have some work to do!”

“Thanks, Eda,” Luz smiled, promptly walking off in a desperate attempt to avoid King’s wrath- most of the time he was absolutely adorable, but he took his naps _very_ seriously. The young latina still managed to overhear an exclamation about paying rent- most likely from Eda, but she wasn’t paying too close attention to the situation ways behind her.

Luz continued to walk along the paved streets of town, the pale stones reflecting the sunlight into her eyes, a soft shine that wasn’t unbearable, but was still slightly annoying. She sighed, looking to her side.  
Plastered to the wall, was an array of wanted posters- a multitude of which belonged to none other than her mentor and, dare she say, second mother. Luz sighed, beginning to walk away from the wall, back towards The Owl House.

“Pardon me- Luz, was it?” a voice cut into her thoughts. Luz jumped, letting out a quick yelp as she shifted to meet the gaze of the one who spoke- it took a second, the woman was _absolutely_ familiar- Libby? Lucy? “My name is Lilith, you may know me as… Edalyn’s sister,”

Several alarm bells suddenly went off in Luz’s head. She and Eda had ran from the Covention after the sisters’ little fight, not to mention Lilith seemed to be after Eda when they had encountered one another during the body swap incident. 

“Uh, sorry- I was just going home,” Luz awkwardly smiled, beginning to push past the witch. _Ay, dios mio. ¿Que voy a hacer?_ she thought to herself, swallowing back a nervous lump when Lilith continued to pursue her.

“Please, Luz. I- we need you. You could help save Edalyn, help end her curse,” Lilith extended her arm, and the young latina froze in place. Was she really capable in helping Eda? The most powerful witch in the Boiling Isles who by herself, was unable to remove it herself?

In a way, it was what Luz had always wanted. To be a hero, to save someone. But was this a scam or a plan? Could she trust Lilith? Luz’s mind wandered towards Amity, the brilliant young witch who still managed to inspire Luz even through their rocky beginnings. If Amity could pour her trust into Lilith- could it be that bad?

“Well… what do I need to do?” Luz mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper. But she assumed Lilith heard it clearly, as she dropped her arm and moved closer to the human girl. 

“I need you to come with me,” Lilith responded, drawing a pale blue circle into the wall with the head of her staff. The white raven was sleek in design, intricately carved, and Luz wasn’t hesitant to admit how impressively it showed off Lilith’s power and regality.

But, actually _going_ with Lilith? If it was for the good of Eda’s health, it very much could be worth it, but Luz still remembered what her mother would always tell her about going someplace with a stranger- _Mija, no te vayas con los desconocidos, algo peligroso puede pasar_.

On the other hand, Lilith was Eda’s sister. So going with her couldn’t hurt, right? Luz nodded, following the pale woman through the newly created portal- she may have to ask her about it later, it would definitely be a handy glyph to know.

They stepped out into a stern room, lined with ominous lighting and golden trim- _could this be the fantasy adventure she had truly wanted? More than just boring old lessons- but actual, rich, adventure?_ Along the distant wall, she could make out a line of guards, most likely protecting the riches in the room. Luz’s attention to the room’s decals was suddenly pulled towards the rising person from- was that a throne?

“Thank you, Lilith. You are dismissed,” the man grunted, gesturing for the woman to leave the room. She appeared hesitant, as if she was unsure as to whether she truly wanted to exit, but ultimately followed the indirect order and left the chamber.

“You are a human, no?” the man- who at this point she assumed was the emperor- spoke. He was tall, wearing white robes embellished with some type of glyph on the brooch. The centerpiece that really completed the entire ‘almighty emperor figure’ was the headpiece. Words couldn’t even describe how intimidating he looked. She awkwardly nodded. 

“You said I could help Eda, right? So why don’t we do that and then I can go home!” Luz quipped, unnerved by his blank stare- the eyes of the mask seemed so hollow, yet so full of judgement and disappointment. 

“I did not say that, but it is possible that my coven leader, Lilith, may have,” he sighed, standing up and carefully approaching the girl. Luz took a step backwards, something that seemingly ticked off the emperor. _Aye- ¿que fue el nombre de ello?_ She couldn’t quite remember. What did he mean? Was that not the reason she was here?

“You are a human, capable of doing magic without further… assistance. How is this?” he spat, reaching a hand out towards her chin. Luz panicked, shoving his arm away from her. This was getting uncomfortable, she should have trusted her gut, now she was stuck with the Emperor of the Boiling Isles with probably no way to escape- “I asked you a question,”

“Uhm, well- I just kind of did?” Luz managed to nervously chuckle out. He audibly growled, gesturing for one of his guards to approach. “What? Wait- I’m sure we can find a compromise of sorts? You see as you mentioned I’m human so-”

Luz was cut off with a startled squeak as the guard latched onto her forearm, sending her tumbling forwards. The latina collected herself, gulping when she looked up to see the emperor towering over her.

“I have asked you a question, one of many to come. I expect you to answer with the truth. Here, I’ll give you a small example of what will happen when you refute my words,” the emperor spat, turning towards the guard who was holding her.

Luz really, _really_ did not like where this seemed to be going. She could comply, probably make a mistake, and get Eda in way more trouble than before- which was not going to do her ‘hero’ fantasy any good- or she could be a stubborn teenager.

The Emperor’s guard swiftly drew a spell circle through the air, a small concentrated flame erupting from the pale blue light. Luz squeaked, eyes wide and scared as he pressed the flame into her wrist.

The first thing that Luz’s senses registered was how strangely _cold_ it felt- for flame she definitely would have assumed it to be hotter, perhaps things were different in the Boiling Isles? That thought was chased away when her pain receptors finally caught up with what was happening.

Luz let out a startled scream, all of this somehow taking place within a mere few seconds- seconds that managed to feel like minutes- long, agonizing minutes. The guard let go, and Luz immediately began to cradle her wrist close to her chest. The skin had already broken, black and charred bits flaked to the ground, all while blood slowly seeped from the wound.

“Do you understand the terms?” the emperor’s deep voice growled.

“I… understand,” Luz quipped, already fighting the tears threatening to spill. Would Azura cry? No- she wouldn’t. But she felt so weak and vulnerable, she wanted Eda- and King’s reluctant cuddles.

“Good,” his voice seemed satisfied, almost amused. Was it the pain he had caused? Was it that he would get what he wanted?

To say that Luz was scared was an understatement. First of all, her wrist had absolutely refused to stop stinging or throbbing, and it hurt worse than when her mom decided to ship her off to camp and- _Aye, mami_ Luz’s thoughts turned morbid. Was her mom okay all alone? What if something bad happened and Luz didn’t know?

It hurt to think about everything that could go so horribly wrong, in the current moment or in the foreseeable future.

At the current moment, Luz wanted to focus on getting out of here. The emperor still looked at her- or at least she assumed he was, it was hard to tell with the intricate mask he wore. The guard who had… her eyes looked down at her still bleeding wrist.

“Now, how exactly do you perform magic?” the emperor repeated. Luz bit her lip- would this knowledge ultimately harm her or Eda? It wasn’t like it was a major secret, in fact Willow, Gus, and Amity knew of her methods, even the twins did. So explaining it couldn’t do much harm, could it?

“I just… draw the glyphs for the spell. Tap tap, it’s casted,” Luz hummed, sweat rolling down her back. The emperor grunted, looking towards the guard. The young latina began to panic- would he harm her again? She didn’t want to see what else he could do, didn’t want to _feel_ it.

“Gather a pen and parchment. I would like to see this _magic_ for myself,” he barked. Luz breathed a sigh of relief as the guard scurried out of the chambers, returning shortly with what the emperor had asked for. The guard handed them to Luz, and she sucked in another deep breath.

 _One big circle. Outline the circle- little triangle man with a triangle hat and two stitches to hold it all together…_ the image flowed from memory, soon reappearing on the parchment in her shaking hand. A small amount of blood dripped from her arm, but it was far enough away from the glyph that Luz ignored how terrified that made her feel.

With a swift tap, the orb of light was sent floating towards the ceiling, the emperor and his guards watching it in astonishment.

“Impressive. Where did you learn these glyphs?” the emperor breathed, a strange deterrence from his previous stern exterior. Luz hesitated, but quickly jumped back into compliance when the guard took a step towards her.

“They’re everywhere. You just have to look closely,” Luz squeaked out. The emperor exchanged a look with the guard, but didn’t give any further instructions- to Luz’s relief. With only a pen in her hand, the latina felt slightly awkward but still brought her injured wrist back to her chest.

“Very well. Now, I’m aware that you train under Eda the Owl Lady, no?” the emperor tilted his head expectantly. This was where things got bad- she couldn’t sell out Eda, no way would she _ever_ want to do that- but what would become of her if she continued to refuse. Luz’s legs wavered, the girl slowly nodding. “Could you tell me of where she lives?”

“Uh, it’s a house?” _Indirect answers_. “It’s a bit messy but it’s nice. My room used to be a spare room so there’s a lot of random things in-”

The emperor grunted, his hand gesture cutting Luz off as the guard approached again, pushing her to her knees. His hand held her head in place- she couldn’t see and- _dios_ she was scared. _Quiero mi mama_ she softly thought to herself.

The anticipation almost hurt as much as what she knew what was to come- pain, something bad, was she being tortured? Answers hit her when the guard harshly stomped down on one of her shins. Luz screamed, the influx of tears spilling like a broken dam. It hurt, it hurt, it _hurt_. Pain pulsed from the impact spot, her leg throbbed, her wrist bled, she didn’t like this, this wasn’t helping Eda.

The guard’s hold on her slipped, and Luz crashed into the ground, unbothered to attempt to stand. Instead, she curled into a fetal position, arms tucked into her chest while her knees pressed into her belly.

“Please, stop,” she whispered through the pain. The emperor huffed, brushing the guard away. He stepped away from his throne, bending onto one knee next to Luz. His cold fingers brushed away the stray hairs that had glued themselves onto her face with sweat, sending a shiver down the latina’s spine.

“We will continue this later in the evening, I have matters to attend to. I doubt you’ll bother with… an escape attempt,” he looked down, nudging Luz with his foot. When she didn’t move, he exited the chamber, flanked by his guards.

No. No, no, no no _no_. Luz was not going to continue with this, she was done with this, Eda would notice she wasn’t home, right? But Eda was busy with the stand today…

For the first time in weeks, she let herself wonder if the Boiling Isles truly was a good place for her. Sure, Luz had the most fun she had ever had in her life here, but she had also experienced the most pain. Her friends… Gus and Willow, and Amity. They cared about her, and she cared about them. But Luz couldn’t stay forever, when camp ‘ended’ her mom would expect her to come home…

Her mom. _Camilia Noceda. Ay, dios-_ Luz missed their warm embraces, the late night empanadas and the small sips of margarita her mom would allow her to have- just a bit, just a little sneak peak- Luz always hated the bitter taste of alcohol, but the way her mom would snort at Luz’s disgusted face made her take that little sip.

Luz wanted to go home.

She hugged her knees tighter, continuing to cry as her leg continued to pulse with pain, and her wrist continued to burn. If she tried anything risky, there’d only be _more_ pain and she, Luz Noceda, could not handle that. Pain was just… too much, too overloading, too _real_.

If she could just escape into her own little fantasy world, everything would be fine. Everything was supposed to be fine, the Boiling Isles was _supposed_ to be her escape from reality. Maybe a reality check would have been good for her, fantasy only seemed to want to harm Luz at this point. Was there even anything good that could come out of this?

Everything _hurt_. Why was life just so cruel? Why were _people_ so cruel? Luz let out another choked sob, alone in a world that kept growing more unfamiliar by the day.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

“Miss Lilith, what’s wrong?” Amity raised an eyebrow as the second spell circle her mentor had casted that day sizzled into silence. She had seemed out of it since Amity had arrived for her private lesson, and for somebody as focused and determined as Lilith, something bad had to have happened in order to lead to her evident discomfort. Lilith, ignoring the question, attempted the spell again, this time achieving a success in her feat.

After a moment under Amity’s scrutinizing glare, Lilith sighed. 

“All is well, Amity. I’ve just got plenty to think about, is all,” Lilith pushed the question further away, continuing to demonstrate the spell. Amity followed along, nodding in response.

After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, Amity put her training wand gently onto the wooden table in the center of the room. She ran a finger through her short hair, sighing softly as she turned back towards Lilith.

“Lilith. I have never seen you so unfocused, something’s bothering you,” Amity pressed. “You don’t have to tell me, but if it’s affecting your ability to cast spells, I’m… I’m okay with waiting a few days to continue our lessons,”

“I just had a small task this morning and I’m debating whether it was the right decision to follow through,” Lilith breathed, pushing back a stray lock of hair. 

“What… was the task?” Amity piqued. If it unsettled _Lilith_ of all people, what’s to say it wasn’t dangerous? Or harmful- Amity pushed away those intruding thoughts. She trusted Lilith, and she trusted the Emperor’s Coven. Everything would be fine. 

“Emperor Belos informed me that Edalyn’s apprentice could have information that would help out the coven immensely,” Lilith let out a shaky breath. “So I asked the girl to come with me, and I brought her here,”

“Luz is here?” Amity jumped. What could Luz possibly know of that could help a power-rich coven? Yes, Luz was able to cast spells, but basic spells at that. Lilith seemed to catch on, resting an arm on the young girl’s shoulder.

“She knows much of Eda herself, and that knowledge can help us,” the woman’s eyes shifted towards the ground. “The Emperor has a summit now, I suppose that the human will need assistance in getting back to Edalyn,”

The words were unspoken, but still there. _Do you want to come with me while I go get Luz_?. Amity nodded, lifting her wand from the table where it had previously rested, placing it into her bag and following Lilith out the door.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

How long had it been? Long enough. Luz’s leg continued to throb with no promise of relenting anytime soon. Though, she did note that the bleeding on her wrist had slowed down noticeably. So that had to be something, right?

Would Eda be mad at her when she got back? If she got back… Luz swallowed, another silent sob wracking through her curled up body. Home felt so distant, beforehand it had always just been a question of _when_ she wanted to return home, but now for the first time, she wondered if going home would even be possible anymore.

Luz could die here, there was a real chance of not coming home, and how would that affect her mom? Friends back home- there were none, but friends like Willow, Gus, and Amity? Would they notice or frankly care? Luz squeezed her eyes shut, too exhausted to look around the room with terrified eyes, anticipating any pain or waiting for the room to change to her bedroom where she’d wake up and realize this was all a dream.

But this was no dream, the pain was all too real, the emotions and thrill as well. Luz tucked her head deeper into her knees, attempting to curl into as small of a ball as possible. Mom would probably be mad that she had run away instead of going to camp, but she would never intentionally harm Luz. Going home could be her best bet but… her dreams. Were they worth it? Were they worth this? 

There were footsteps in the distance, and Luz inwardly began to panic. Did she answer? Did she refuse? Did she cry? She didn’t want any more pain to come her way, that was too much for her, she was only fourteen. Luz continued to cry, tears slipping down her cheek and onto the sleek floors.

“Luz-“


	2. heroes can be saved

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luz makes it home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credits to @kingpincorvid and @ciipher-arts for the art used in this chapter! Ya'll are the best <3

“Luz-“ Amity’s hand reached forwards towards the limp form curled up on the ground. She could hear Lilith’s breath hitch behind her, reminding Amity that she too, needed to breathe. She swallowed down a shaky breath, rushing to Luz’s side. “Luz, can you hear me?”

There was no visible or audible response, but the silence still managed to carry the soft affirmation that she had been heard. Amity paused- what had happened? Would trying to carry her or even _touching_ her result in fear or discomfort..? She sucked in another inhale, turning towards Lilith.

“I thought you said she was here to _help_ ,” Amity spat, fumbling to find Luz’s hand. There was a silent whimper, and the young witch offered a tight squeeze of comfort. Luz didn’t squeeze back, but she didn’t pull away either. Amity’s eyes slanted in anger, glaring harshly at her mentor. “This doesn’t look like- whatever that help would be!” 

“Amity, now is not the time for this, we can discuss this later,” Lilith whispered quickly, running her fingers through her sleek hair and drawing a large circle into the ground. Amity frowned, looking between Lilith and Luz. The inside floor of the pale blue outline gave way to the familiar marketplace of the Boiling Isles. “Can you get her to Eda’s place from the market?”

“I- probably- but, Lilith, _promise me_ she’ll be okay,” Amity’s eyes pleaded. Lilith’s face grew with hesitation before drifting back to the gateway. The young witch felt her heart drop, looking back at Luz. Tears dripped down her face, eyes scrunched shut. Her chest raggedly rose and fell. _What on the Isles had happened to her?_ Aside from the tear streaks and labored breathing, her arms still were tucked against her chest, even with Amity gingerly holding her hand. There was something so… wrong about seeing Luz in such a distraught state. She was often so bubbly and energetic, but it was so _disturbingly_ quiet now. Even in the face of danger she’d manage to make the situation less mortifying.

“You need to go, _now_ ,” Lilith strained, struggling to hold the gate open. Amity looked between the two others in the room once again, leaning down towards Luz.

“I’m.. I’m going to pick you up, Human. Hold on tight, okay? It’s- It’s me, Amity, by the way,” the pale girl rambled, nestling her arms beneath Luz’s body. She tried to ignore the pained cry, but there was no time. Amity knew that she was ever so slightly taller than Luz, but at this current moment, the tanned girl just looked so _small_. Just like the silence, it was wrong. Unorderly, against all previous interactions she had with Luz.

“Am...ity?” she softly whispered. Luz’s eyes blinked open, typical comforting brown eyes distant and confused. Amity swallowed again, preparing to pick the girl up. Her voice was too quiet, her eyes were too dim, her body was too light- everything was wrong, wrong, _wrong_.

“I’m here, Luz,” Amity soothed, pulling her close. Lilith was still hunched over the open gate, sweat beading at her brow as her staff remained pressed to the ground. The pale girl stepped forward, allowing herself to slip through the image on the ground, emerging into the Bonesborough market. “Lilith?”

But when she turned, she was met with a brick wall and no sign of her mentor. _Okay, Amity. You’re on your own. Where was.. the Owl Shack again? Out of the way, distant._ she frowned, noticing the time. It was late, the looming darkness of the night hung over the town, the last few merchants left in the evening seemed to be closing up shop for the night. Amity grunted, looking down to the girl in her arms. Her eyes were glossed, but still slightly open as they stared blankly towards the stars. 

“Luz, can you… can you tell me how to take you home?” Amity piqued, biting her lip when Luz only softly whimpered. The pale witch grunted, walking along the paved sidewalk. What could make Luz so quiet? Not even a monster trying to sew her into a book forever had managed to do that, so Amity couldn’t even begin to _imagine_ the horrors Luz had gone through. 

“Forest,” Luz whispered, eyes drifting towards an obscured path in the trees. Amity’s eyes widened- _Luz was conscious enough to understand her words and respond- everything would be fine, everything had to be-_ “Amity… it hurts,” 

The pain that slipped through Luz’s words caused Amity’s heart to drop for the second time that day. Luz, the human girl who pretended to be an abomination and escaped from a multitude of spells being thrown towards her. Luz, the human girl who had challenged Amity to a Witches Duel, all while knowing the odds were against her, and still stood relatively firm when Amity’s abomination chased her. Luz… the human girl who tried to befriend Amity, even when Amity pushed her away, even finding a way to make her laugh at one of the most terrifying moments of the pale witch’s life. Luz- the human girl who learned a spell in the nick of time to help save Ed and Em.

Luz, the human girl, who was now in her arms, silently weeping, and distant from all that was going on around her. Amity walked down the path, unnerved by the twisting heads of owls perched on branches, their yellow eyes gleaming cruelly in the moonlight. But, if it was for Luz, she’d do it. 

Amity never meant to be cruel in the beginning. Luz had just… suddenly appeared and began to wreak havoc on all of Amity’s hard work, but after that night in the library, she had come to realize how Luz would do anything to keep others safe, how she’d sacrifice herself if it meant that others wouldn’t be harmed. And now she was _actually_ hurt by her drive to help.

She emerged from the path, at a towering structure. A large circular window peered down at her, with uncanny resemblance to the eye of an owl. This was it, this was the Owl House. It was here, perched atop a cliffside that looked over the seaside, a tower in ruins behind it. Amity approached the door, hesitant to knock. She shuffled, nearly crying as Luz Winced when Amity fumbled to move her hand from beneath the girl’s knees. With Luz now slumped over her shoulder, her pale knuckles reached for the door.

“Hi, Luz! Hoot, hoot!” An overly energetic voice cut Amity off. She squeaked, stepping backwards and wrapping an arm around Luz’s back protectively. The circular owl-like face in the door twirled, deep eyes open as it twirled. 

“Can it, Hooty,” an exhausted voice from inside the house groaned, footsteps reaching the door. Amity recalled the voice from their training day at The Knee- _Eda the Owl Lady_. “You said Luz was here?” She mumbled, the wooden door creaking as it opened, revealing the pale woman with a mess of grey hair.

“Uh- Miss Eda..?” Amity began, only to once again be cut off by Eda’s hand wrapping around her open wrist, dragging the young witch into the house. For someone as wanted as the Owl Lady, Amity would have assumed a less… normal house in appearances. Eda’s foot slammed the door shut, and the woman hoisted Luz away from Amity’s grasp. “Wait!” 

“Luz?” Eda’s typically flamboyant expression was creased with worry, eyes wide and darting wildly over the human girl. She laid Luz down on the couch, grunting as she immediately curled into another fetal position. “Kid, you gotta let me help you, okay?”

Luz whined silently, slowly outstretching her left arm for Eda to observe. Amity didn’t fail to notice how she was trembling, her arm subtly shaking as the older witch turned it over.

“Is Luz dead?” another voice quipped, grunting with effort as a small black creature crawled onto the couch. The ferocious demon that Luz had mentioned at the Covention? King- that’s what his name was. He crawled onto her leg, only rolling off when Luz let out a pained scream. Amity’s eyes were stricken with fear, just how badly was she hurt? 

Amity rushed to her side, brushing back her hair and whispering soft words of comfort as the tanned girl’s face contorted in pain. Eda scowled at King, returning to look at Luz’s arm she still shook. Amity bit her tongue as the woman turned Luz’s arm over, resisting the urge to vomit at the dried blood and charred skin that was seared into the flesh just beneath her hand. 

Emperor Belos had hurt her. He’d harmed her _badly_. And that was enough for Amity to string together one thought from the flowing river of disconnected words flashing through her mind. _The Emperor’s Coven could not be trusted._

_”I’m sorry,”_ Luz’s lip quivered as she whispered those quiet words. Why was she apologizing? She had no reason to. Amity scowled, catching herself before she passed out. 

“You have nothing to apologize for, okay? Just- where else does it hurt,” Amity bit back as much malice as she could, finding it difficult when she only wanted to scream and make everything okay, even though things weren’t looking so bright at the moment. Luz’s eyes slid shut, warm tears streaming down her face as she choked back a sob. “Luz, please, I- we need to help, okay?”

“Leg,” she hummed, releasing a small whine as her shoulders shook. Amity reached for her other hand, the other now enveloped in a pale yellow glow, presumably a healing spell. _Wasn’t the Owl Lady in the potions track?_ Not now, that would be a question for the future. “Left,”

Amity looked up towards Eda, her face now stern and cold. She gently rested Luz’s hand onto the sofa, nodding and moving towards the leg Luz had referenced. Amity paid attention to the spell, a spell circle, pressed against the wound. Luz’s leg began to glow, and in response the tanned girl squeezed Amity’s hand tighter. 

The pale girl squeezed back.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Luz had been aware of what was going on, all while still pressed into the back of her mind, lost in her sea of thoughts. The pain had slowly receded to a dull throb, but it was still there. If Luz slipped into the darkness for too long, she could feel the searing heat against her wrist. She could hear the ear splitting crack as her senses filled with pain.

But when she opened her eyes again, it would be gone, simply a dull ache compared to the previous inferno against every nerve in her body. Luz was aware of Amity’s presence, her clammy hand holding on tightly through it all. There was a brilliant glow, and then nothing.

_”Mija! How was school?” warmth filled her senses as the familiar face of her mother came into her vision. Luz beamed, dashing across the kitchen floor to embrace her. She nuzzled her head into her mom’s neck, a gentle hand pressed into her back._

_The gentle hand betrayed her. Luz cried out as she was forced to the ground, a hand wrapped around her throat and squeezing harshly. She couldn’t breathe, she was sinking, nothing made sense- where was she, again?_

_Luz coughed harshly, finding air slipping into her throat. Shakily, she pulled herself up, finding herself face to face with none other than the Emperor._

_No. No, no no no-_

She gasped. Eyes open wide, Luz shot upwards to find herself in her room. Breathing heavily, she ran a few fingers through her hair, drenched with sweat. She blinked, looking down at her wrist.

Sunkissed skin greeted her.

Luz rested a hand against the wall, pulling herself up and looking out the window. Light streamed through, illuminating the dusty room with warmth. She sucked in another breath, turning to trudge down the hall. The house was eerily quiet, no groans as Hooty spoke, no maniacal laughter from King.

The latina entered the kitchen, Eda, fully dressed, seated at the table with a mug in hand. Her head turned, mumbling something beneath her breath and standing. Eda looked uncertain, but opened her arms wide. Luz lunged forwards, enveloping her mentor in a hug. Comforting arms returned the embrace, and the young girl found herself crying once again. She was home, she was safe. Everything was going to be fine, it would have to be.

“Kid, when you weren’t home we thought you had spontaneously decided to hang out with one of your friends. But when it got late and you still weren’t home…” Eda trailed off, pulling away from the embrace and gestured for Luz to follow. They took a seat in the living room, the latina tucking her knees against her chest. “We started to get worried. Then the green girl, Amity? She showed up with you,”

“Eda, I-“ Luz began, only for the pale witch to pull her into another embrace.

“There’s nothing to be sorry for, kid. Do you want to talk about it?” Eda’s words lacked their usual showmanship, yet they weren’t exhausted. Luz looked towards the ground, sucking in another breath and leaning into Eda.

“I don’t know? I just- I wanted to help, she said that I could help, so I went- but he was so _mean_. He asked about my magic and then had his guard-“ she cut herself off, taking a small break to collect her thoughts. In retrospect, what had happened seemed like a torture scene from one of those shows she’d watch at home. And she hadn’t been able to do anything to protect herself. “-hurt me,”

“Kid,” Eda began, looking Luz in the eyes. “You don’t owe me anything, you don’t have to blame yourself for anything that happened. You’re young, life is terrifying. Believe me- remember when I said this is where I hide away from modern society? You’re here, and you’re safe, I’ll make sure of it,”

“Thanks, Eda,” Luz mumbled. “Is.. Amity still here? I want to thank her, and let her know that I’m okay,”

“I sent her home, it was getting late. I think you need to relax and take time to actually feel better. One night of sleep won’t cure everything, you know. I can heal the physical wounds, but you’re going to still have to deal with the trauma,” Eda rested an arm on Luz’s shoulder. “So if there’s anything I can do for you, or get you, let me know,”

“I… I could really use an empanada,” Luz sighed. “But mainly the ones my mom would make- we’d spend hours making them with my _abuelos_ when we’d visit,” 

“Empanadas made by your mom, alright. Well, kid. Looks like I’m your mom for now, how do we make these?” Eda stood, dusting off her red dress. “King! Get over here, we’re making something,”

Luz stifled a giggle, watching as King waddled into the room, rubbing exhaustion from his eyes. 

“Okay, we’re going to need flour, salt, butter, eggs, water, and baking powder, and some meat,” Luz listed, dashing into the kitchen and opening cabinets. She pulled out several ingredients, meanwhile Eda grabbed a few bowls.

“Now what?” Eda raised an eyebrow, looking at the variety of things the young latina had pulled out. Luz was sure some of these things were questionable, but the fun was in making them, and hopefully eating them- but they could worry about that later. 

“We put the powders in the bowl and mix them!” Luz spoke, already dumping careful amounts of the ingredients into one of the bowls Eda had pulled out. She began to slice up the butter, placing the small pieces into the bowl as well. “After adding the rest of the ingredients, we’ll have dough!”

“Well that’s thick,” Eda grunted, pulling out pieces of the dough and slapping it onto the counter. “King, beat it into submission,”

Luz let herself smile. Maybe, it wasn’t the mother she longed for, or the home she missed. Perhaps the bedroom wasn’t lined with posters and shelves full of books, but she was with people she loved, and people who loved her. 

Maybe, just maybe, the Boiling Isles could be home, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wOo thank you, everyone! the next part of the series will be up when I can finish the first chapter, so keep an eye out! Again, huge thanks to @kingpincorvid on instagram and @ciipher-arts on tumblr for the art used in this chapter!


	3. heroes can have trauma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luz has a small breakdown, but Amity is there to help

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI I'M BACK HAHA! I decided that I'll be putting all four chapters here, and using the series for future oneshots et cetera! Without further ado, I hope you all enjoy!
> 
> ALSO HUGE THANKS TO @KINGPINCORVID FOR THE ILLUSTRATIONS!!! you're the best!!!

It had been two weeks. In those two weeks, Luz had a total of twelve nightmares, the number would have most likely been fourteen if she had slept every night, but sometimes, she’d lay awake. Luz’s mind would race with a multitude of thoughts, always thinking, always wondering about what her life would be like if she stayed home, or if she didn’t decide to blindly follow Lilith. Would she be less paranoid? Feel safer? More secure?

Every time she closed her eyes, Luz could always feel another presence with her, hunched over her, or grabbing for her. It hurt, every time she thought about it. Even in the moments of bliss she’d share with Eda and King, once they ended the darkness would cloud over her.

Little things that had once thrilled her, like the fact she would be starting at Hexside later this day, no longer made her practically vibrate with excitement. She just… wasn’t Luz anymore. The latina sighed, unzipping her sleeping bag and standing up from the sweaty covers. Her brown hair was sleek with prespiraton. _She’d definitely need to shower before getting ready for the day_. 

Luz huffed, picking up the pile of clothes Eda had collected for her a few days prior. The familiar grey tunic that her friends all wore, the only difference being the pale yellow undershirt and leggings. Luz had registered under the potions track, believing it to be the most practical decision for her spell capabilities at the moment. Potions would not require much spell casting- those lessons would remain Eda’s job. In the potions track, she’d learn more about ingredients and the Boiling Isles itself. 

The young latina tucked the clothes beneath her arm, trudging down the wooden floorboards until Luz reached the bathroom- a pink sign that read ‘Ladies’ next to a messily drawn paper that added King to the allowed parties. Luz snorted- Some things would never change in the rapid shifting of life. One of them being the warmth her newfound family would never fail to bring her.

Luz pushed the door open, feeling the cold air that rushed through the window against her exposed arms and legs, hands reaching to cover her stomach while she closed the circular opening. In the distance, Luz could make out the faint outline of the sun rising in the horizon. It was early, the first rays of sunlight just barely hitting the tinted waters that surrounded the isles.

She stepped away from the window, gently resting the pile of clothing on the bathroom counter and turning on the shower. Some things in the Boiling Isles were thankfully similar to what Luz had in the Human Realm- one of which, thankfully being shower systems. 

Luz’s tank top was soaked with sweat, her shorts sticking to her thighs. _Dios_ , she was a mess. The latina pulled the clothing over her head, stepping into the cool rain that the shower head provided. Each beat against her sun kissed skin chased away the exhaustion tugging at her eyelids, the threat to pull her under and into darkness dispersing. Luz vigorously rubbed the soapy shampoo into her brown roots, fingernails digging into her scalp.

She was here, she was safe. She was fine. There was no need to overreact or be sensitive- Luz bit her tongue. _Soy bien. Todo es bien_ she thought to herself, allowing the water to rinse away the suds of soap. The latina yawned as the lemon scent slowly became less noticeable, nails digging into her tanned skin through a cloth, wiping and rinsing away the sweat that formed in her restless sleep.

Luz hung the cloth over the edge of the shower rack, sinking to her knees and allowing the rain to pour over her. It felt comforting- like a small sense of home. The rain in the Boiling Isles was… less than ideal. But the cool pellets that slipped over her shoulders was a reminder of life back with her mother. The early mornings Luz would run into the yard in nothing but pajamas to feel the first drops in her hair, laying splayed out in the grass and just _relaxing_ as thunder would roar in the distance. 

Her head turned back towards the window, the sun hanging higher over the Isles. How long had Luz been sitting here? The latina twisted the metal knob, the comforting downpour coming to a close. Soft towel in hand, Luz wrapped it around her and stepped onto the bathroom tiles. It was cold against her bare feet- the sudden shift in temperature sending a shiver down the tanned girl’s spine. 

“Good morning, Boiling Isles,” Luz pressed her lips together, turning away from the window and beginning to pull on her uniform’s leggings and undershirt- the pale yellow a stark difference from her even tan. Luz slid the baggy tunic above her head, wrapping the dark grey belt around her waist. The cowl in her hands was silky and soft, matched with a scent that reminded Luz of la casa de sus Abuelos. Dropping the fabric over her head, Luz’s fingers worked to adjust the pin. 

This was it. Today Luz officially became a student at Hexside. She picked up her discarded clothes, pushing the door open and returning to her room.

One thing that had confused Luz, was how similar the time on the Boiling Isles was to that of the Human Realm. The latina picked up her phone- noticing the new message from her mom. Luz instead opted to look at the time- acknowledging how she had about half an hour before she needed to leave for school.

[Mom, 6:48am] > _Buenos dias, Mija! Missing you lots, hope you haven’t gotten into too much trouble at camp. Can’t wait to see you in a few weeks! Te amo muchisimo._

[Luz, 7:03am] > _Morning, Mami. Everything’s going fine, don’t worry about me. Miss you too._

Luz turned off her phone, dropping it into her messenger bag, adorned with stickers and patches from a variety of groups and novels she had collected over the years. Slinging the bag over her shoulder and pulling on her white slip-ons, Luz retreated to the hallway and made her way down the staircase.

“Morning, kid,” Eda yawned, seated at the kitchen table with a mug in hand. The older witch looked exhausted (although that wasn’t a huge difference from most mornings) with her hair tousled all about. She rubbed her sleeve over her mouth, wiping away the remnants of the red drink in the mug. “Ah, first day of school. You know, when you’re in the potions classroom, I hid some explosive powders under one of the desks. Let me know if they’re still there?”

“Eda- _why_ would you- actually, I don’t want to know. I want to be a good student, so I’m going to try to not blow up the school, okay?” Luz offered a smile, sitting down next to Eda at the table. “Also, can you take me to school? It was a tradition back home for my mom to bring me to the first day of school and… it’d be nice,”

“Sure, Luz. I meant it when I said I’d do anything to make you feel better, I’ll go get dressed,” Eda ruffled her hand through Luz’s drying hair, leaving the young latina with a dorky smile on her face. Luz rested an arm on the table, eyes drifting out towards the forest path visible through the window.

One thing that Luz couldn’t shake from her head though, was the fact Amity hadn’t visited once. Willow and Gus had come over one or two times, unaware of the… events that happened, but Amity was just gone. Did she do something wrong? Maybe she just didn’t want to be friends with Luz anymore. The latina sighed, turning her head to the staircase as Eda made her way back into the room- now clothed in her usual red dress. Pushing the negative thoughts to the back of her head, Luz stood and trotted towards her mentor.

“You ready to go, kid?” Eda cracked her neck, stretching out her arms and picking up her staff. Luz nodded, following the witch out of the kitchen and through a small hallway towards the living room- where King was curled up atop a chest, soaking in the warmth that the sun provided. Luz stifled a small giggle- watching as every breath expanded his small body like an accordion.

“Yeah!” She chipped, slipping out of the front door. Eda knocked Owlbert’s end on the ground twice before stepping back- the Palisman unfurling his wings and hovering above the ground freely.

“Hoot hoot! Have a _fun_ day at school, Luz!” Hooty chimed from the door, twirling in place energetically. Eda groaned, mumbling something under her breath and gesturing for Luz to step onto the staff behind her. The latina nodded, swinging one leg over the sturdy wood, and holding on tightly as Eda kicked off the ground.

They soared above the Isles, nearing Hexside within minutes. Luz’s eyes scoured over the ground- in search for that familiar head of minty hair. She couldn’t even spot Willow or Gus- maybe they were already inside? Luz frowned, resting her head on Eda’s back. If the older witch noticed, she didn’t say anything.

Luz’s feet touched the ground, and she felt her head being lifted from wear it rested, an arm sliding onto her shoulder.

“Alright, kid. If you need to go home, call for Owlbert. If you’re upset, punch the first kid you see. Have a good day, squirt,” Eda tousled Luz’s hair, the young latina’s face cracking into a gentle smile. Her hands worked on flattening the now messy hair, reaching forwards to give Eda a hug.

“Thanks, mom,” Luz mumbled, head tucked into Eda’s chest and squeezing tightly. The older woman dropped her arms around Luz, offering a soothing squeeze in response. With a gentle rub, Eda pulled away and brushed a few stray hairs from the tanned girl’s face. A shiver ran through Luz’s spine- but she suppressed it. This was fine, she was safe. It was silly to get uncomfortable from such a small action- especially one with good intentions behind it.

“Of course, kid. Now knock em all the way dead, huh?” Eda smirked. Luz beamed, stepping back as the witch kicked the ground, sending the staff towards the sky. The woman energetically waved, and Luz returned the motion hesitantly. Luz turned on her heel- the sudden realization of the previous conversation flashing through her head. _Ay dios mio, I just called Eda mom_.

Sucking in a deep breath, Luz made her way down the rocky pathway that led up towards Hexside- the harrowing school now clad in banners announcing the new semester. Along the pathway, countless flags representing the nine main covens proudly stood- embellished with intricate tapestries of their respective track. There was still no sign of Amity, much to Luz’s dismay.

She entered the main hallway- pillars rising towards the ceiling and walls lined with red lockers. Students weaved between the crowd, chatting with one another, and retrieving their textbooks from their lockers. Luz pulled a crumpled piece of paper from her bag, looking at her schedule for the day, and additionally her locker information. 

Trudging through the hallways, Luz finally managed to locate where her locker was. The latina placed her bag inside, shuffling her potions handbook in her arms. Thankfully, she was already aware of the Potions classroom’s location thanks to Gus’ impromptu tour of the school all those weeks ago.

All those weeks ago. 

There was a thud in Luz’s chest, a small squeeze around her chest and a small struggle for breath. _Todo es bien. Tu eres bien._ Words of hesitant reassurance ran through her head as she took a seat in the back of the classroom, placing her books onto the table and looking at all the provided items splayed out on the wooden desk.  
A cauldron was propped up over a small black rock- most likely a heat source to boil the potion when necessary. Luz exhaled, shifting her attention towards the teacher at the front of the room. The beginning of class was similar to the ones she’d have in the Human Realm- a basic introduction to the course, the classroom rules, and the teacher’s small drabble about themselves.

“Today we will be making fog potions! Be sure to pay attention to my demonstration and follow along with the ingredients listed in your textbooks,” the teacher droned, beginning to pick up a few vials from her own desk and gently mixing them into her cauldron. “Be careful with the flame, wouldn’t want anybody to get hurt!”

_Flame. Hurt._ Luz dropped the vials that she held in her hands, glass shattering on impact against the ground. Liquid began to pool at her feet, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. Heads swiveled towards her, watching, prying eyes all trained on the tanned girl in the room. She bit her tongue, sweat beading at her forehead as her knuckles grew white. Her hands tightly gripped the edge of the wooden table, breaths rugged and uneven.

“Ms. Noceda, is everything alright?” the teacher raised an eyebrow at the outburst, arms robotically continuing with the lesson. Luz’s eyes ran back and forth, arms weak and shaking as she felt her heart continue to clench tightly.

“I- I’ll be right back,” she gasped, stepping away from the desk and charging for the door. She ignored the teacher calling her name, she ignored the judging whispers of the students already in the hall, all she could focus on was her impending need to _escape_. She was at school, she was safe. Why did everything feel so wrong?

Luz ducked into a small hallway, collapsing against the lockers and releasing a strangled sob. Everything was wrong, everything felt wrong. She was scared, she was _so_ scared. The latina clutched at the cowl over her chest, desperately searching for purchase. She blinked, vision swimming and flashing between memories.

Before she knew it, she was no longer in one of the many hallways at Hexside. She was in that throne room, lights dim and grim. He- The Emperor was towering above her, mask staring down at her blankly. Cold and empty eyes. Guards swarmed at her sides, holding her down, twisting at her wrists, pulling at her legs. Squeezing at her neck, Luz began to find it harder to breathe.

Darkness danced in the corners of her vision, and she could only choke on empty air. Her legs kick wildly, attempting to fight at whatever was holding her back and restricting her air. She wanted to _breathe_ but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t drag in any oxygen. 

_Do you understand the terms?_ words echoed through her mind, crushing her chest further. Everything felt so tight and uncomfortable and hot and- The Emperor was back, reaching for her. Hands gripped her shoulders, fingers tracing towards her wrist. Luz could feel it burn, she could feel the blood dripping. She could feel the crimson running through her throat, suffocating her further. It spilled from her lips until red was the only thing she could see.

“I-” she choked, doubling over onto her knees and releasing a sob. “I understand, I understand, I understand-” she began to fall into a mantra of whispers, continuously repeating the same words. She understood. Why wouldn’t it stop? Why wouldn’t it all go away?

“Luz-?” a new voice called through the distortion. The latina swallowed, shifting away. No, no, _no_. Luz couldn’t move far away enough, and soon enough there was a new set of hands. _Get away, get away, get away, aléjate, aléjate-_ the hands lifted. “Luz, hey- it’s Amity. I’m here o-okay?”

_Amity_? Luz sucked in a breath- air? She blinked, vision swimming. The flames flickered to darkness, the threatening hold over her heart slipping- yet still there. Luz blinked again, a distant form shaping before her. She could only register the soft scent of mint- but it was enough. Amity was here.

“Luz- can- can you tell me a few things you see?” Amity’s voice was panicked and soft. Was she crying? Luz could barely tell anymore. Everything was so clouded and dizzy, her chest felt heavy, and her throat felt raw. What did she see? There was pale skin- amber eyes. Amity. 

“I- I can see y- you,” Luz managed to choke out, the young latina’s body continuing to vigorously shake between sobs. Brown eyes looked over the small hallway again, there were lockers, a few doors, and pale tiled floors. “Th- there’s some classrooms and I see my vans,” 

“Nice, nice- can- can I give you a… hug?” Amity’s words while simple still held meaning. Luz dragged in another deep breath, nodding before crashing into the young witch’s embrace. Arms immediately wrapped around her back, softly offering reassurance while rubbing circles gently into her shoulders. 

“Am- Amity I’m so sorry,” Luz whispered into the other girl’s shoulders, continuing to sob and shake. The pale girl gently squeezed, allowing Luz to untuck her own arms to return the embrace. 

“You have nothing to be sorry for, Luz,” Amity responded, stroking her fingers through the short brown hair that sprouted from Luz’s head. “If anything, I should be the one apologizing. I… I should have come to see you. I shouldn’t have just… disappeared. I just- I was scared, Luz. Seeing you like that? It was so _wrong_ and I thought that if I saw you again you wouldn’t be the same Luz,”

“H- hey. As the saying back in the Human Realm goes, I- I found this family all on my own. It- It’s a little broken, but still good,” Luz mumbled, slipping back into the comfort of Amity’s shoulders.   
“Yeah. Even if things are bad, they’ll get better…” Amity hummed, continuing to carefully run her fingers through Luz’s hair. “I had a realization, though. I… I realized that I wouldn’t know what to do if I lost you. Luz- I realized that I like you,”

“Like.. like?” the tanned girl pulled away just enough to make eye contact with Amity, brown eyes sinking into honey. “But _why_?”

“Luz, you’re this beam of light that crashed into my life. At first I thought you only got me in trouble- but those moments I’d spend with you were the most exciting times of my life. You didn’t give up on me, and… you care. You genuinely care,” Amity responded, turning away from the human girl.

“I’ll always care, Amity,” Luz breathed, wiping the tears away from her face with her sleeve. The witch picked up her hand, squeezing firmly.

“I will _never_ let anybody hurt you again,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hA how you like that?? lumity confessions hahahahaahah


	4. heroes can talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A day out with Willow and Gus goes awry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hUGE THANKS TO @KINGPINCORVID FOR ILLUSTRATING!!!

After Luz’s panic attack, the rest of the school day was blurry. The young latina could recall holding tightly onto Amity’s hand through the worst of it, and proceeding to carry through her scheduled classes as per the plan at the beginning of the day. When the school day had come to a close, Luz could barely remember Eda coming to pick her up, and curling up on the couch for the rest of the day.

Of course Luz was disappointed and a tad bit angry- her first day had diverged from what she had anticipated- what she had _wanted_. She didn’t get to dazzle any teachers with hidden talents and skills, she got to run out of a classroom in tears and hide in a hallway.

On top of all that- Luz couldn’t shake the conversation that she had with Amity. What exactly did the witch intend when she told her about the crush? Was Luz supposed to reciprocate on the spot? Was she supposed to suggest they be a couple? _Were_ they a couple? The latina tugged on the hem of her tunic, stepping into her homeroom and taking her seat.

She was so confused. On one hand- Amity was an amazing person. She may be… cold at first interaction but once you got to know her, she had a kind heart. Amity had saved her and brought her home, and she had guided her through a panic attack. She was pretty, too. And she knew how to take care of herself. But on the other hand- Luz was a mess. What if she messed up? Or she wasn’t the same person Amity liked? She'd have to go back to the Human Realm eventually, so would anything even last?

The more Luz thought about it, the more her mind would wander back and pick apart little things- Amity’s giggle at the library. The way she blushed of embarrassment. How she had doodled herself, bright and energetic. But the more her mind wandered, the more unwelcome memories would slip in. She’d see Amity crouched in front of her, blood slipping through her fingers as her eyes were wide with shock. Luz would feel her tight clutch, protective yet afraid. Even if she never wanted to; she had scared Amity.

But the other thing that plagued her thoughts was how Willow and Gus had yet to even be _told_ about the events that had transpired. It wasn’t that Luz didn’t want them to know, but more that she was afraid of their reactions. The latina spaced out of the teacher’s lesson; thankful that the only thing that was scheduled for this lesson was an introduction to Gidded Basilisks and what potions would affect them. She’d catch a few sentences here and there- _The Gidded Basilisks are prone to consuming magic, so indirect magic is the most efficient way to counterattack_. And a little bit of explosive potions that rupture your environment can harm the beast. But for the most part, her mind drifted elsewhere. 

Willow would probably turn into her mom- constantly checking in on her and asking if she was alright. She’d probably murder anybody who even triggered Luz, and would definitely treat her like a young child. On most days, Willow’s maternal instincts were silly and fun, but being on the constant receiving end? Luz didn’t know what she wanted to the point, but she vaguely knew she wanted things to be normal again.

Gus would be a different story. He’d be hesitant, afraid of hurting her. He’d start to treat Luz like a fragile object, as if one wrong move could break her beyond repair. Gus would also be scared, both for Luz and of those who had hurt her. It’d affect his dreams of being in the Emperor’s Coven- and maybe Eda had been right, the Emperor’s Coven _was_ the worst- but it was still her friend’s dream.

Overall, they were going to be the last two people who’d treat her normally. Everything would be normal around them, everything would be _fine_. Because it had to be. They never would need to know, and it could stay normal.

The bell screamed, jolting Luz out of her thoughts. She picked up her belongings, brushing past the students in the hall, head ducked low as she made her way towards her locker. Amity had spent the previous day with her in the small hallway, handing her part of her own lunch. They had sat in silence, but it wasn’t a bad hush.

Luz stopped at her locker, prying it open and setting her textbooks gently on a shelf, picking up the small paper bag Eda had sent that day. The young latina snorted, noticing the logo for one of the hispanic restaurants she would go to with her mom back home.

 _Ay mama, voy a comer bien hoy_ she thought to herself, closing the red locker and turning on her heel, sucking in a deep breath and pushing herself towards the cafeteria.

The tanned girl noticed Willow and Gus in the corner, eagerly waving for her to join them. Luz slipped through the crowd, seating herself next to her friends and opening the bag that was tightly clutched in her grasp. Gus leaned over, watching as Luz pulled out a plastic container, wafting a small sense of home towards the latina.

“What is this Human creation?” Gus breathed, reaching to peel the lid off of the container so he could examine its contents. Luz swatted his excited hands away, pulling out a plastic fork and knife and setting to work on cutting the hispanic delicacy into small pieces. 

“ _These_ are empanadas. Real ones, actually. They’re a family favorite in _la Républica Dominicana_ ” Luz beamed, offering a small piece to both of the witches peering over her shoulders. She watched expectantly as they dropped the bites into their mouths, both exchanging a look with one another before opening their mouths again.

“Those are so good! If you’re going to have lunch like that every day, you’ll have to bring extra!” Willow clasped her hands together, taking a sip from her juice box. 

“I have so many questions- like where can I get these and what is that language you just spoke? Is it some magic thing Eda taught you? I must know,” Gus gasped, eagerly biting into his sandwich as he awaited answers. Luz snorted, taking a bite of her own lunch. The warmth spread throughout her body, reminding her of the warm days she’d spend eagerly leaning over her mom’s shoulder as they would wait for the oven to chime. It reminded her of the nights they’d spend dancing to random songs in the living room. It reminded her of _family_. “Luz?”

“What? Oh! Yeah- it’s a bit hard to explain but in the Human Realm you can get these at hispanic restaurants or you can make them yourself; I always made them with my family, but either works,” Luz shrugged, resting her elbows on the table. “And that wasn’t magic, it was just Spanish,”

“...Span-ush?” Willow raised an eyebrow in confusion. “So the Human Realm has two languages? We just have the runic alphabet,” 

“The Human Realm has hundreds of languages, I’m just from the Dominican Republic and our native language is Spanish,” Luz explained, taking another bite of her lunch. 

“How many realms are there?” Gus gasped, eyes wide in awe. Willow rolled her eyes, lightly nudging him before perching her hands carefully onto the table. 

“Anyways- where were you at lunch yesterday? We couldn’t find you anywhere. We thought you somehow managed to get thrown into the Delinquent Track on your first day,” Willow frowned. Luz could see the worry in her eyes- what was she supposed to say? And there was a _Delinquent_ Track?

“I was with Amity,” Luz fumbled with her words, turning to stuff another piece of the empanada into her mouth. Willow sighed, softly shaking her head before continuing to eat her meal. And it technically wasn’t a lie- she _had_ spent the previous day’s lunch period with Amity. She simply left out the fact that she was sobbing with Amity in a hallway. They didn’t need to know, things could still be normal.

“This afternoon there’s going to be a light show at the Covention center! The Illusion Coven is hosting- I’ve been seeing little bits of their practice and it looks _so cool_!” Gus squealed abruptly. A light show? It would be fun- right? As long as they stayed a safe distance from the stage. Wait- did they even _have_ fireworks in the Boiling Isles. Luz supposed there was only one way to find out- and besides, she’d be with Willow and Gus. She’d be safe. 

“That sounds great!” Luz chipped, nodding her head excitedly. The bell rang again, signaling the end of the lunch period. Luz dropped the empty bag and container into the trash bin- taking a quick peek at her schedule before waving goodbye to Willow and Gus. 

For the first time in weeks, things felt normal.

“Hey- Luz?” A voice caught her off guard. The latina turned to find Amity standing in the hall, hand holding her arm gently. “I was wondering if you wanted to talk- about anything,”

“Actually, I kind of did,” Luz bit her lip, stepping towards her. “I think that I like you, too. You’re smart and funny and you help me a lot- but I just- what if I hurt you? Or what if I’m not the same person you liked,”

“Luz, stop. Just because you got hurt, doesn’t mean you're a whole different person. You’re still Luz- you love and care for those around you, right?” Amity sighed, moving her hand to grip Luz’s reassuringly. The latina nodded, squeezing softly. “It’s going to be a rough road, and healing _will_ take time. But that doesn’t mean you need to isolate yourself, okay? If- If you want me, I’ll be there every step of the way. I like the girl who doesn’t let others stop her, and you’re here at Hexside, still training to become a witch. You still have your spirit, even if it feels a little dim,”

“I- then, yes,” Luz swallowed back the lump in her throat. “I’d… I’d like to try at a relationship,”

“No matter what, you’ll pull through. I believe in you, and so does Eda- and Gus, and Willow, and so many others.” Amity pulled her into a hug. A soft layer of blush dusted the latina’s sun kissed cheeks at the contact, but she returned the embrace regardless. “You’re doing great, Luz,”

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

The rest of the school day went by in a flash- Luz was lost in thought for the remainder of the lessons, her mind replaying Amity’s words on repeat. _It’s going to be a rough road, and healing will take time. But that doesn’t mean you need to isolate yourself, okay?_

_Was_ she isolating herself? Luz couldn’t think of any time where she had actually let herself break down, the young latina didn’t want to pester Eda while they were at the Owl House, so she kept to letting the tears spill late at night. But she was expanding more, right? She was going out with Willow and Gus once they got out of their final classes- which should be right about…

“Luz!” Two energetic voices called, racing towards her excitedly. The tanned girl awkwardly smiled as the faces of her friends came into view, arms wildly waving as they grew closer. 

Willow and Gus dropped into a conversation, and Luz found her gaze drifting off in search of Amity- her girlfriend? She’d have to clarify everything later on, but there was still no sign of the mint-haired girl. Her words still echoed in her mind. 

“-f we set off right now we can get good spots- Luz are you there?” Gus waved his hand in front of the latina’s brown eyes, snapping her out of her trance. Luz shook her head, blinking before letting out a confused response.

“Hm? What-? Oh! Sorry,” the girl apologized, scratching the back of her head. “Yep, heading off now, good spots, this’ll be fun!” She nervously chuckled.

“Luz, are you okay?” Willow budded into her anxious laughter, eyes narrowing accusingly. The latina gulped, feeling the sweat dripping from her forehead.

“What? Yeah! I’m all good!” Luz hummed in response, grasping the hands of her friends and setting off towards the Covention center. Willow pulled away her hand, crossing her arms and stamping a foot onto the ground. “Okay, okay- I kind of maybe sort of think Amity might be my girlfriend now?”

Maybe it wasn’t the entirety of the situation, but it was still part of what was running through her head, right?

“You and Amity?” Willow cocked an eyebrow before shaking her head. “I honestly should have seen that one coming. But- you do know you can tell us anything, right?” 

“Yep!” Luz nodded, continuing to walk towards the towering building that was visible just a few turns away. The trio slipped into the building, jaws dropping at how the building’s interior had changed from their previous visit. Instead of the hundreds of stands advertising different covens- the sleek floor was open, aside from a stage set up in the center of the large room.

“Look! People are filling in, let’s get closer!” Gus squeaked, pulling the others behind him as he neared the stage. Luz looked around, eyes scanning over each person that walked by. Her chest began to clutch, but she ignored it. She was safe. She was fine. _Tu eres bien_.

“Welcome to the Illusion Coven’s annual light show! Every year we train to present the most _captivating_ experience you’ll ever see in your lifetime. Are you ready to be amazed?” A spokesperson walked onto stage, waving his fingers mysteriously as the lights went dark.

Luz pushed back the alarms triggering in her head. _It’s just a show_.

“Psst- look! The Emperor’s Coven is here!” Gus whispered, pointing towards a pair of guards standing near the exit. Luz’s blood ran cold, her heart speeding up significantly. 

“Wh- why are they here?” Luz tugged at Gus’ cowl, slinking down to the ground. Willow and Gus exchanged a look before letting out a short laugh.

“Relax, Luz! They’re probably just looking for a criminal, probably Eda. And you know how she is- you don’t need to worry,” Willow gently patted Luz on the back before turning her attention back to the show. “It’s starting! I’m sure whatever is going on will dwindle down to nothing,”

But it didn’t dwindle down to nothing.

Luz yelped as a large hand grabbed at her wrist, sending a jolt through her spine. _Run, run, run, run-_ she was pulled back, the grip refusing to lesson as the Emperor’s guard dragged her towards the exit.

Her cry alerted Willow and Gus, who promptly turned on their heels to chase after them, pushing the exit door open and dashing towards the set of guards. The young latina’s mind was racing. He wouldn’t let _go_ \- why wouldn’t he just stop? 

“Luz!” Willow’s fist slammed into the ground, eyes wide and pulsating with a green glow. Roots shot up from the ground, green vines vigorously swaying to and fro. The first vine crashed down inches from the guard holding Luz, the thorny plant twisting up his leg before giving a firm tug.

His hand slipped, and the young latina managed to wiggle herself free, scurrying away towards where Willow crouched. Gus stepped in front of her, drawing a blue spell circle into the air. Suddenly, Luz found herself looking at an army of Willows, Guses, and Luzes. The guard’s heads twisted in confusion, in search of the real human amongst the chaos.

“Luz, _what the heck was that?!_ ” Gus shot as they ran, ducking towards the library and crouching behind the stone staircase. Luz sharply inhaled, the event flashing by her eyes, mixed with the sensation of being unable to breathe.

 _No, no, no- nonono- not now, you need to stay grounded- ¡Oye!_ Luz swallowed again, hand patting the ground next to her until she found a hand. She squeezed, sucking in a little bit of air.

“Luz! What was that all about?” Willow hissed, eyes mixed with concern and anger. The tanned girl bit her lip.

There goes normal.

“So the Emperor kind of wanted to interrogate me but I ran away? But I actually didn’t run away because I _couldn’t_ run because my leg was broken- but Amity got me home and I’m fine, _everything is fine_ , okay?” The words spilled from Luz’s lips like a waterfall.

“Wait, why was your leg broken?” Gus broke the silence. On a normal day, he would have earned himself a disappointed glare from Willow. But it wasn’t normal anymore, nothing was the same, and Willow was staring blankly at the ground in what seemed like shock.

“He.. hurt you?” She whispered, looking up to face Luz. “Did he do anything else? Are you okay? Why didn’t you tell-“

“I’m fine, it’s _fine_. I only got a little bit burned,” Luz bit out, dragging her knees close to her chest. “I just wanted things to be normal. Eda was suddenly so careful around me, and she was being way nicer than usual- and I thought Amity didn’t want to see me anymore after… seeing me like that- and I just, I didn’t want you guys to treat me differently,” 

“Why would we treat you differently?” Willow frowned, nudging herself into a hug against Luz. Gus followed suit, and the three sunk into a familiar group hug.

“Because I’m broken,” Luz’s voice was barely above a whisper, but Willow’s ears twitched ever so slightly as she spoke.

“No. You’re not broken. Don’t say that- saying your broken means that you’re done, nothing will fix you. If anything you’re wilted- but with enough care you’ll be blooming again in no time,” Willow huffed.

“We’d never think of you differently because you went through that, Luz! You’re our friend, and that’s never going to change,” Gus added in.

“I wasn’t at lunch yesterday because I was having a panic attack over a stupid flame in the potions classroom,” Luz sighed, slipping deeper into the trio’s embrace.

“It isn’t stupid, Luz. You’re allowed to be upset- it’s okay to cry- it’s _healthy_ to cry. Suppressing that is just going to make things worse,” Willow shook her head. “We’re your friends. You can cry, and we’ll be here to listen. You can face your greatest fears- and we’ll be here to support you. No matter what, we’re going to be by your side,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ack! Thank you so much to everyone who stood with me while I developed this series. Every comment, fanart, and little notes of “oh my god hi” really made my days- I’m so thankful for all of you who were here since the start, and all of you who joined us along the way.
> 
> I’ll be releasing a new story later this week, so keep an eye out! You won’t be seeing the last of me anytime soon ;)


	5. authors note

aight, i love you guys, and i may have some plans to continue this that may be revealed with time- but PLEASE don't beg for more, i'm a busy student and i have apologies aren't stitches ongoing- which i will finish, i am working on the next chapter and have it all outlined

i am so thankful ya'll love this story but it isn't my only work <3

**Author's Note:**

> Howdy folks!! This is going to be part of a little series that will have recovery and Lumity! Chapter 2 will be uploaded soon, and the next work will be up as soon as I can get it done! Please, please, please drop some kudos AND a comment if you enjoyed, it motivates me to keep writing!


End file.
